6 weeks in

Big M

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We need to get a rock solid defensive system in place and that is the coaches job.He has had long enough to do it but obviously doesn’t have one that he can implicate.It is the easier to teach and learn a defensive pattern than an attacking one. The players have no confidence in him and his game plans and a revolt is coming.
 

KiwiDog7

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We are shit

Shouldn’t take you 9 rounds to realise that
 

Scoooby

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Disappointed is an understatement in 2019.

Enough said.
 

Skidz

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1 game in a majority of the Kennel spat the dummy and demanded for mass sackings including our a permanent sacking of our coach. My reply was simple:

"It's only Round 1, we should give the coach + team some time to at least find their feet a little. I'm going to leave judgement until round 6 at least."

It's round 9 so I think there's been plenty of time to make a more rational anaylsis of the team and coach. Those that have been following my posts know that I'm really quite positive and optimistic about this team as I do think we need to keep in mind a few things:

- the roster is TERRIBLE
- we've had our two best players out for multiple games
- there's been some DREADFUL referring against us
- things can't be improved in one year, or even three if I'm honest

Taking this on board, has there been enough to show us, the supporters, enough that we're going in the right direction? I mean, I think most rational supporters know that this year was a writeoff from the start (I was saying top 8 was a possibility though ... :grinning:) so can we expect more?

The simple answer is ... yes. Look, inspite of our injuries. Inspite of the bad referring. Inspite of our shit roster. Inspite of the clear need for time. Inspite of all of this ... it's simply not good enough.

Any team, whether it be in sport, business or socially, needs a clear vision and direction. We were fed a vision and direction by the coaching staff and players before the year started but until now we haven't really seen anything that resembles this. The terrible roster couldn't have been a surprise to them ... so why then make such a vision and then communicate it to your supporters when you know it's not possible to meet those expections?

Any way you look at this simple point it's extremely bad coaching. Extremely bad. Whether it be that they really believed that the squad was capable of playing such a way, or that they didn't but thought they'd feed the players crap confusing them even further. It doesn't make sense. Did they realise a game in that they couldn't play that way so changed the approach?

In no way am I bashing Pay, I'm just stating what I see here. The way these players were coached preseason, and told to play (we know this from interviews with Pay, and players like Lewis) you would at the very least expect to see some resemblence of this style. No?

At the present time we've rarely seen glimpses of this promised 'play what you see in front of you,' 'focus on attacking,' 'defending as a pack' approach as we had heard.

So ... after 9 weeks in and being one of the most positive supporters on here I can honestly say I'm fucking worried. I've only referred to one point of which could be 101 points. 1 point. And that 1 point to me clearly shows something ain't right here.
Well said, hard to watch at moment, attack is very poor, as it has been for 4 seasons now, Can still remember Des promising to same crap. Need a strike centre, and Brandon Smith please
 

Blueandwhiteblood1968

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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Yes Pay inherited this rubbish roster. But the tactics and team selections are puzzling at best. We can blame des all we want for the mess we’re in. But how much longer? Pay has only won something like 9 games? It’s a lean run. Personally I think he’s unfortunately out of his depth.
Why did the fuckwit board members sign Pay for another season, I'm so fucking over losing.
 

cookieman909

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Why did the fuckwit board members sign Pay for another season, I'm so fucking over losing.
Who fucking knows. He’ll be lucky to be in double figures in terms of Wins at the end of the season. What happened to the free flowing ad lib style of end of last year? We’ve gone backwards this year.
 

Teddybear

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I’d throw a lifeline to someone like Matthew Johns to work with our halves and our attack, he has a great analysis of the game and might be just what Pay needs at this stage.

Stevie G belongs in second grade looking after the part timers, not working as our “attacking” coach.
Seriously man it ain't that bad.
We play ok and compete every week.
We need 2 strike centres/ winger and the attack will follow.
We don't have the speed or skill just yet.
Buy Jimmy the jet, what have we got to lose, the guy can score a try from nothing.
 

CBDoggies

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Why did the fuckwit board members sign Pay for another season, I'm so fucking over losing.
I’m with you but no decent coach would want to come and destroy there career here..... hence why the extra year... entice a Flanagan or a Toovey next year with the Offer of a open cap at their disposal.
 

_G-Dog_

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Seriously man it ain't that bad.
We play ok and compete every week.
We need 2 strike centres/ winger and the attack will follow.
We don't have the speed or skill just yet.
Buy Jimmy the jet, what have we got to lose, the guy can score a try from nothing.
Jimmy the Jet would catch a cold out wide with our current spine..
 

Alan79

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In all honesty I expected more wins by this point. The youngsters are playing for their futures as much as pay is coaching for his. But to say the refereeing has been against us in any way it could be is an understatement. I can't imagine that it's helped the mentality or confidence of the club to any extent.

I had doubts about bringing a rookie coach on board but will support him and the players until we can upgrade them. But the board need to speak up about the refereeing. It's diabolical and I find it harder to watch every week. If the club is unwilling to risk a fine they're in danger of losing this fan.

Bennett had a sook about the referees during a game where every fucking decision went his way.

Until we get some 50/50 calls it's hard to judge the team. Although I am realistic about our lack of quality.

The only positive in my eyes this year is that guys like Ogden, Meaney and CHN have shown that they can be part of the core of the team moving forward. I had hoped some early confidence building wins could get us in the race to the finals. But the team seems pissed off about getting shafted week in week out and perhaps seems ready to stop trying.
 

blue & white blood

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I have been watching highlights on youtube from the last the last six games from last year when we lifted and beat some top teams to avoid the spoon, and I noticed the X factors in those games and the inspirations for the young players in those teams were the Morris Brothers , we let go of them to soon, I believe if we had given them the two year deals they wanted, we would be sitting in the eight right now, They were everywhere in both defence and attack, if you don't believe me go to YouTube and look for yourselves and you will see what I mean. I didn't realise the impact they had. WE ARE A DUMB CLUB.
 

Tassie Devil

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I have been watching highlights on youtube from the last the last six games from last year when we lifted and beat some top teams to avoid the spoon, and I noticed the X factors in those games and the inspirations for the young players in those teams were the Morris Brothers , we let go of them to soon, I believe if we had given them the two year deals they wanted, we would be sitting in the eight right now, They were everywhere in both defence and attack, if you don't believe me go to YouTube and look for yourselves and you will see what I mean. I didn't realise the impact they had. WE ARE A DUMB CLUB.
Look, we can go into all the ifs, or maybes, or could've been etc. etc.

We have what we have, whether it was right or wrong of us to be in this squad position it's where we are. No real point goign back over all of that imo.

Clearly for me the question most important to ask ourselves is if this squad is capable of performing better? To me it's plainly obvious that the answer is no. I truly think they should be playing better. That they're capable of playing better.

I'm not expecting grand finals, or even top 8. But we definitely can be playing better.

At this stage this 100% falls onto our coaching staff. There's absolutely no way around it.
 

gazza

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The squad is ridiculously out of shape. Get rid of all the surplus second rowers. Finally we have a proper fullback. That is a highlight as is Reimis Smith on the wing. Foran is a class act if he can stay on the field even as an on field coach directing play. Someone will have to coach Okunbar on how to score tries if he is to remain on the wing. Needs to bend lower and go for the corner not stand upright and get pushed out. Need someone who can kick for field position consistently. Whilst there is a lot of rubbish in the team, the big letdown for me is Pay’s up and down selections and headlines saying “Pay has dropped ...”. Personally I favour Rhys Martin and Lachlan Lewis and I felt aggrieved by them being dropped from the squad this week. I do not see anything in the way Pay behaves that would have players playing for him and the team. Big disappointment.
 

TwinTurbo

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Too many Raiders rejects.
Board is falling for the same shit the previous mob did with Hasler. You don't let the coach decide who he works with... you TELL him who he'll be working with.
If he doesn't like it, fuck him off.
Too many "jobs for the boys/mates/family members".
Put simply we aren't employing the best people for job.
Hang on.......aren’t we getting rid of the people who got their job for being “one of the boys/mates/family members”? Sounds like a good idea to me, based on nothing more than the results that they have achieved in the years that they have been here.

I don’t know about you but if I want someone for a specific job the first thing I do is think about the people that I have worked with who have been successful for me in the past. I would never consider that as picking “rejects”, it’s sound business practise. Of course if there is someone better out there I’ll look at them, but if they don’t measure up as being superior, then I choose the one I know who has been successful working with me previously.

Go Dogs
 

blue & white blood

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Look, we can go into all the ifs, or maybes, or could've been etc. etc.

We have what we have, whether it was right or wrong of us to be in this squad position it's where we are. No real point goign back over all of that imo.

Clearly for me the question most important to ask ourselves is if this squad is capable of performing better? To me it's plainly obvious that the answer is no. I truly think they should be playing better. That they're capable of playing better.

I'm not expecting grand finals, or even top 8. But we definitely can be playing better.

At this stage this 100% falls onto our coaching staff. There's absolutely no way around it.
That's easy to say we are what we are now & how do we get out of this mess, but I'm saying we wouldn't be in this mess if the powers to be would have thought this out a bit better, isn't it amazing 8 weeks into the comp & " we're not expecting grand Finals or even top 8" we what the hell are we in competition for, just to make up the numbers? Yes I am talking past tense because it's no point going on with the same topic over & over, yes we know they can play better but what I'm trying to say, (and I think I'm allowed to say it seeing this a forum where we can discuss what we want ) is had we kept just two more good players in the position we needed them in most then we could have expected & probably made the top 8 this year, The reason why Lewis is in Reserve grade now after playing so good at the end of last year, is because he had the Morris brothers on his outside that took his passes & kicks and turned them into points as well as stopping tries at the other end of the field. Just close your eyes for just one second and imagine Nick Meany Running on the inside of a Josh Morris Break and scoring under the posts just like Ben Barbar did, Now you can open your eyes again & go and work out how the coaching staff Can make the Bulldogs perform better this week than last week, I know! why don't we swap some more players around or lets drop some players for the ones we swapped last week, It doesn't matter really " we don't expect to make the eight or win a GF " until we can fix up the salary cap and bye some experienced players maybe they can start with a good centre & winger. :grinning:
 

Tassie Devil

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That's easy to say we are what we are now & how do we get out of this mess, but I'm saying we wouldn't be in this mess if the powers to be would have thought this out a bit better, isn't it amazing 8 weeks into the comp & " we're not expecting grand Finals or even top 8" we what the hell are we in competition for, just to make up the numbers? Yes I am talking past tense because it's no point going on with the same topic over & over, yes we know they can play better but what I'm trying to say, (and I think I'm allowed to say it seeing this a forum where we can discuss what we want ) is had we kept just two more good players in the position we needed them in most then we could have expected & probably made the top 8 this year, The reason why Lewis is in Reserve grade now after playing so good at the end of last year, is because he had the Morris brothers on his outside that took his passes & kicks and turned them into points as well as stopping tries at the other end of the field. Just close your eyes for just one second and imagine Nick Meany Running on the inside of a Josh Morris Break and scoring under the posts just like Ben Barbar did, Now you can open your eyes again & go and work out how the coaching staff Can make the Bulldogs perform better this week than last week, I know! why don't we swap some more players around or lets drop some players for the ones we swapped last week, It doesn't matter really " we don't expect to make the eight or win a GF " until we can fix up the salary cap and bye some experienced players maybe they can start with a good centre & winger. :grinning:
Mate, use some spacing as you've really got some great points but I get lost :tearsofjoy:

Look. I don't want to 'just make up the numbers' but for me it's always been about being consistently competitive, getting in there and showing it we can match it with anyone. Then and only then can we talk about getting into the top 8. Unfortunately we haven't shown anywhere near that consistency.

Was our board wrong in letting the Morris boys go? On paper I'd say yes, but I don't know what went behind the scenes in that and I don't think many people do. Clearly having them in our team right now would be making a massive difference but ....

Being completely blunt and straightforward ... I'm not really here to judge the board as I think they do deserve time. I look at Liverpool and how the new owners / board made a heap of mistakes early on but learnt from it and ended up with Klopp and an absolutely incredible team. I think with the board they just need time, and they were looking long-term. Hopefully they made the right choices.

My argument will always be that this squad should be playing better than it is. Doesn't matter about who we should've kept, or let go, or signed. We should be playing better. That's not the board's fault.
 
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